November 2016 - Issue # 036 - Dieting vs Lifestyle Changes

I think this is the perfect time of year to bring this question to our attention because this time of the year can become more than challenging.

Yesterday was Halloween and it can be a lot of fun as the grownups get together after taking the kids out trick or treating.

But the grownup table is covered with snacks and beverages. And all those bags of sweets that the kids hoarded home doesn’t help either.

Then there is Thanksgiving and if half your family is in Canada and the other in the United States you get two Thanksgiving feasts (yes, we are blessed) one in October and the other this month.

Then comes Christmas and New Years. A never ending flurry of family get togethers, office parties and close friends coming together to celebrate time passed and hopes that the New Year will bring upon us health, happiness and prosperity.

So starting in October right up to New Years Day we are surrounded by events which offers an abundance of all kinds of food and drink.

Once all the holidays are over, New Year's resolutions come into focus. For many of us weight loss will be on top of the list.

That’s a good time to choose between dieting vs lifestyle change.

There are thousands of ways to diet, but dieting is only temporary whereas a lifestyle change is permanent.

There are certainly many motivational sayings on the Internet that promote lifestyle change over dieting.

That’s because dieting is only a short term solution and when we stop dieting the majority of people will actually gain more weight back than what they started out with. This experience alone can be downright frustrating.

We know yo yo dieting can be bad. It’s a process that in most cases involves food deprivation. No wonder they call them DIEts.

Of course we know that healthy lifestyle changes are better because they are permanent.

Making even small (healthy) lifelong changes will always be more beneficial than a lifetime of dieting.

Here are some tips for making healthy lifestyle changes that will help you lose weight:

Eat breakfast. Many people who have lost weight and kept it off swear that part of their success to keep the weight off is because they start their day with a good breakfast.

There are lots of great breakfast ideas such as steel cut oats, eggs, fruit, yogurt, smoothies and so on.

Try not to eat after dinner. This gives your digestive system a chance to cleanse. If you must eat choose a healthy snack such as fruit.

Avoid keeping any junk food at home. Stock up with healthy choices so if you must snack it will be a good choice.

Avoid sugary drinks that offer little or no nutrition. Calorie reduction can be huge when avoiding sugary drinks. We know water is the best drink for weight loss and health, but there are other healthy drinks we can have such as herbal teas, vegetable juices and smoothies.

Yes, portion size matters - tremendously.

Avoid
overeating. One of the best ways to help prevent overeating is by drinking a large glass of water or a small glass of vegetable juice before your meal. This helps fill up your tummy so you can’t eat as much.

If you can try to exercise daily. Even a 20 minute casual walk will help.

Those are just some examples of actions we can take to help improve our health.

The best part of a lifestyle change it can be done right away. It's not a diet that you have to start and end on a specific day. So why bother waiting for New Years Day?

Why not create a list now? Grab a pen and paper and write down all the lifestyle changes that you've been wanting to do for yourself for some time.

Keep the list handy and take on one challenge at a time until you feel comfortable enough to take on the next one.

You can grow your strength through the holidays, not after them. No matter how small the change just make it a positive one.